With Barlow missing with a fractured cheekbone, Fremantle's midfield was belted in the contested possession count 185 to 123 against the Cats that day, and the Dockers have identified that area as a key to Saturday's qualifying final.
"They just monstered us around the contest," Barlow said.
"It was probably our worst performance of the year and the stats reflected that.
"We can't have that happening again. I guarantee that won't be the case."
The Dockers were also missing Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy and Lee Spurr from that loss to Geelong and Paul Duffield was subbed out in the opening half with a calf problem.
Barlow said the Dockers viewed the first contest of the match as an opportunity to set the tone.
"It will start with the midfield and the first time the ball goes up on Saturday afternoon, it will be a contested situation," Barlow said.
"It's a massive emphasis. The result will be being able to get our hands on the ball at the contest and get the ball going our way.
"We definitely didn't do that earlier this year."
Barlow has never played an AFL match at Simonds Stadium but played there many times for Werribee when he was a dominant figure in the VFL.
The star midfielder supported the Cats growing up and will play against several of his favourite players on Saturday.
"I used to support them so they were a lot of my idols that I'd look to," Barlow said.
"The Enrights, the Chapmans, those kind of guys that have had really, really solid careers."
Barlow said the team was quietly pleased that Chris Mayne, Michael Walters, David Mundy, Michael Johnson and Nat Fyfe had made the All Australian squad of 40.
"Yeah it was really good to have five in the 40-man squad," Barlow said.
"Hopefully we get a couple in the final 22. It's something that we haven't talked about at all because we know we've got bigger fish to fry and a massive opportunity for collective team success over the next month."
